Saturday, April 15, 2017

"Government considering concrete for road construction" - Bawumia

The Akufo-Addo government could soon be implementing the proposal made by Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference to use concrete for road construction nationwide instead of asphalt.

Speaking at the Lighthouse Chapel’s 2017 Good Friday Miracle Service, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, described the proposal as “pure wisdom” and noted that the Ministry Roads and Transport were undertaking the comparative analysis and costing of the proposal.

In March, the Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference urged the government to increase road tolls and further suggested that the proceeds be used to improve roads.

According to the proposal, this new road network was to be built using concrete; specifically 10 inches of concrete with the width of three lanes 12 meters wide, for several miles.

The group cited the Tema motorway as an example of a concrete road that has served Ghana for decades.

The Vice President concurred with the Ghana Charismatic Bishops’ Conference’s assessment, noting that “most of the other asphalt roads, after a year of rainfall, are gone.”

“We will consider doing this and it will be transformational because as for laying concrete, we can all do it in Ghana. You don’t need to get anybody to come and lay concrete for you. Any mason from any village can come and lay the concrete and go on,” Dr. Bawumia said.

He explained that, following the costing, government realized that a kilometre of a concrete road will cost $3.8 million and that of asphalt will cost $2.8 million.

But the concrete road will last for 40 years whilst the asphalt will last for only 10 years, he added.

“… So $3.8 million for 4o years and 2.8 for 10 years – the economics is very simple. So we are very excited and with the help of the Roads Ministry very soon we should be able to announce the new transformation in our road construction in Ghana,” Dr. Bawumia said.